The present invention relates generally to the control of a motion device. More particularly, the present invention relates to the control of moveable portions of a machine tool system to control a surface finish of a part machined with the machine tool system.
It is known in the machine tool industry that there is a trade-off between surface finish quality and throughput. A cause of this trade-off is the bandwidth limited dynamic response of the machine axes to demanding input signals (i.e. commanded tool paths).
It is also known to provide a user of a machine tool system with three selections of surface finish quality, each of which has a defined set of parameters for the motion control system of the machine tool system. The ULTIMAX brand system available from Hurco Companies, Inc. included adaptive surface finish software as a part of the motion control system that gave a user the ability to select between “Precision,” “Standard,” or “Performance.”
The present disclosure relates to a motion control system for a machine tool system. In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a value of a surface finish quality (“SFQ”) parameter of the motion control system is adjusted to control the surface finish of a part machined with the machine tool system.
In another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a method for controlling a machine tool system to machine a part is provided. The method comprising the steps of providing a motion control system having a conversational mode of operation and a NC mode of operation; setting a default SFQ value; determining, based on the default SFQ value, a default set of values for a plurality of system parameters of the motion control system for controlling a movement along a first axis of the machine tool system from a first set of values of the plurality of parameters of the motion control system associated with a first SFQ value and a second set of values of the plurality of parameters of the motion control system associated with a second SFQ value; receiving a desired geometry for the part through one of the conversational mode of operation and the NC mode of operation; and moving the machine tool system based on the default set of values of the plurality of parameters of the motion control system to perform at least a first operation during machining of the part.
In still another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a method for controlling the movement of a machine tool system to machine a part is provided. The method comprising the steps of associating a first set of values of a plurality of parameters of a motion control system with a first value of an SFQ parameter, the SFQ parameter having a range of possible values; associating a second set of values of the plurality of parameters of the motion control system with a second value of the SFQ parameter; receiving a first desired value of the SFQ parameter; determining a third set of values of the plurality of parameters of the motion control system for controlling the movement of the machine tool based on the first desired value of the SFQ parameter from the first set of values of the plurality of parameters of the motion control system associated with the first value of the SFQ parameter and the second set of values of the plurality of parameters of the motion control system associated with the second value of the SFQ parameter; moving the machine tool system based on the third set of values of the plurality of parameters of the motion control system to perform at least a first operation during machining of the part; receiving a second desired value of the SFQ parameter; determining a fourth set of values of the plurality of parameters of the motion control system for controlling the movement of the machine tool based on the second desired value of the SFQ parameter from the first set of values of the plurality of parameters of the motion control system associated with the first value of the SFQ parameter and the second set of values of the plurality of parameters of the motion control system associated with the second value of the SFQ parameter; and moving the machine tool system based on the fourth set of values of the plurality of parameters of the motion control system to perform at least a second operation during the machining of the part.
In a further exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a method for controlling the movement of a machine tool system to machine a part is provided. The method comprising the steps of determining a first set of values of the plurality of parameters for controlling the movement of the machine tool system based on a first value of an SFQ parameter, the SFQ parameter having a range of possible values; performing at least a first operation with a first tool based on the first set of values of the plurality of parameters; replacing the first tool with a second tool, the second tool having a second value of the SFQ parameter associated therewith; determining a second set of values of the plurality of parameters for controlling the movement of the machine tool system based on the second value of the SFQ parameter; and performing at least a second operation with the second tool based on the second set of values for the plurality of parameters.
In still a further exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a method for controlling the movement of a machine tool system to machine a part is provided. The method comprising the steps of determining a first set of values of the plurality of parameters for controlling the movement of the machine tool system based on a first value of an SFQ parameter, the SFQ parameter having a range of possible values; selecting a first tool for performing at least a first operation; determining whether the first tool has an associated value of the SFQ parameter, wherein if the first tool has an associated value of the SFQ parameter determining a second set of values of the plurality of parameters for controlling the movement of the machine tool system based on the associated value of the SFQ parameter and otherwise using the first set of values of the plurality of parameters for controlling the movement of the machine tool system based on the first value of an SFQ parameter; and performing at least a first operation with the first tool.
In yet still a further exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, an apparatus 28. An apparatus for machining a part with at least one tool is provided. The apparatus comprising a frame; a moveable support supported by and moveable relative to the frame, the moveable support supporting the part; a machine tool spindle supported by the frame and moveable relative to the part, the machine tool spindle adapted to couple the at least one tool; a motion control system operably coupled to the machine tool spindle and the moveable support, the motion control system executing the machining of the part through the controlled movement of the machine tool spindle and the moveable support; and a user interface including at least one display and at least one input member. The user interface operably coupled to the motion control system, wherein the motion control system receives a desired geometry through the user interface and at least one value of an SFQ parameter through the user interface. The user interface having a conversational mode wherein an operator specifies the desired geometry and the at least one value of the surface quality finish parameter and a NC mode wherein an NC program including the desired geometry and the at least one value of the SFQ parameter is supplied to the at least one input member. The motion control system determining at least one set of values for a plurality of parameters based on the at least one value of the SFQ parameter from at least two known sets of values of the plurality of parameters associated with at least two values of the SFQ parameter.
In yet still another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a computer readable medium having computer-executable instructions for controlling the movement of a machine tool system to machine a part is provided. The computer executable instructions comprising instructions to store a default value for an SFQ parameter received through a user interface; instructions to determine a default set of values of a plurality of parameters of a motion control system for controlling the movement of the machine tool system based on the default value of the SFQ parameter from a first set of values of the plurality of parameters of the motion control system associated with a first value of an SFQ parameter and a second set of values of the plurality of parameters of the motion control system associated with a second value of the SFQ parameter; and instructions to move the machine tool system based on the default set of values of the plurality of parameters of the motion control system to perform at least a first operation during the machining of the part.
In still yet a further exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a computer readable medium having computer-executable instructions for controlling the movement of a machine tool system to machine a part is provided. The computer executable instructions comprising: instructions to determine a first set of values of the plurality of parameters for controlling the movement of the machine tool system based on a first value of an SFQ parameter, the SFQ parameter having a range of possible values; instructions to perform at least a first operation with a first tool based on the first set of values of the plurality of parameters; instructions to replace the first tool with a second tool, the second tool having a second value of the SFQ parameter associated therewith; instructions to determine a second set of values of the plurality of parameters for controlling the movement of the machine tool system based on the second value of the SFQ parameter; and instructions to perform at least a second operation with the second tool based on the second set of values for the plurality of parameters.
In still yet another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a computer readable medium having computer-executable instructions for controlling the movement of a machine tool system to machine a part is provided. The computer executable instructions comprising instructions to determine a first set of values of the plurality of parameters for controlling the movement of the machine tool system based on a first value of an SFQ parameter, the surface quality parameter having a range of possible values; instructions to select a first tool for performing at least a first operation; instructions to determine whether the first tool has an associated value of the SFQ parameter, wherein if the first tool has an associated value of the SFQ parameter instructions to determine a second set of values of the plurality of parameters for controlling the movement of the machine tool system based on the associated value of the SFQ parameter and otherwise instructions for using the first set of values of the plurality of parameters for controlling the movement of the machine tool system based on the first value of an SFQ parameter; and instructions to perform at least a first operation with the first tool.
Additional features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of the illustrative embodiments exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the invention as presently perceived.
Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views.